The present invention generally relates to television systems, more particularly, to navigating television services provided by such systems.
Until recently, television services comprised little more than analog broadcast video signals. Cable television systems received these signals from satellites and retransmitted them to subscribers over land-line networks, typically comprising fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable. However, with the recent advent of digital television, television systems are now capable of providing much more than the traditional analog broadcast video and the associated functionality. Digital television systems enable two-way and advanced one-way communications between the subscriber and the system headend. As a consequence, interactive services such as e-mail, interactive programming guides, advanced configuration controls, impulse pay-per-view, video-on-demand, e-commerce, and web browsing may be provided to subscribers of a digital television system. In addition to the interactive services, the increased bandwidth available through a digital television system has made it possible for the subscriber to have access to hundreds, or even thousands, of channels and/or services.
Digital television systems typically include a set top box, also referred to as a home communication terminal (HCT), which is connected to a cable or satellite television network. For purposes of the present disclosure, set top boxes, HCT""s and other similar devices are collectively referred to herein as terminals. Terminals generally include the hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of a digital television system at the subscriber""s site. Preferably, the software executed by a terminal is downloaded and/or updated via the associated network. Terminals typically include a processor, communication component and memory, and are connected to a television or other suitable device, such as a personal computer. While many conventional terminals are standalone devices that are externally connected to a television, a terminal and/or its functionality may be integrated into a television or personal computer, as will be appreciated those of ordinary skill in the art.
With the many services that may be provided by a digital television system, there exists a need for an efficient and user-friendly means for selecting a programming or interactive service from the numerous choices available. Many television systems provide program information to the subscriber""s terminal for viewing by the subscriber via the associated display device (i.e., television or computer monitor). For presentation purposes, the program information is typically organized into a program guide format that presents the program information by time and channel. The program guide can be used, for instance, to scroll through a listing of the available television channels, wherein the program information, such as name and description for each channel is presented at a current time. A more detailed description of such a program guide can be found in at least U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,218 to La Joie et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full.
While such program guides facilitate the selection of a particular program that the subscriber wishes to view or record at a particular time, they are generally limited to browsing the available program by channel number, that is, in a predefined sequential order. This is illustrative of the conventional paradigm of browsing television programs by channel number, with which we are all generally familiar.
However, with the hundreds, or even thousands, of channels that are or will be available with digital television systems, the task of browsing so many channels in a linear (i.e., numerically sequential) fashion by channel number may be daunting. Remembering just the 30 to 60 currently available channels is already beyond the capacity of many subscribers. While some subscribers may be able to associate a number of services or programs with specific channel numbers, it would seem reasonable to expect many subscribers to continue to depend upon the browsing for locating a service or program of interest.
It is known that some terminals provide a list of favorite channels defined by the subscriber. Much like favorites in a worldwide web (WWW) browser program, a list of favorite channels selected by the subscriber provides the subscriber with a relatively short listing of what are probably the most frequently visited channels by that subscriber. However, the programs or services offered by a television system may be changed by the system providers, thereby affecting the channels in the subscriber""s list of favorites (which is most likely not when such changes occur). By analogy, if the content of a web page that is included in the list of favorites within a web browser program is moved to a new URL, the reference URL within the list of favorites is not automatically updated. Thus, the WWW user must track down the new URL and manually update the favorites list. Further, it is generally desirable to keep the favorite list small so that it does not become unmanageable, which may limit its flexibility and usefulness when the subscriber has access to a thousand or more services. A list of favorite channels is generally useful to help a subscriber return to a service that is frequently used, but these lists do not generally help the subscriber locate services in the first place.
Yet another alternative is browsing television channels by category as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/071,602, filed May 1, 1988, and assigned to the Assignee of the present invention. This methodology for browsing incorporates the association of channels with categories so that the subscriber can browse a listing of channels associated with a user selectable category. Of particular interest, the category of each channel is configured by the cable system, not by the user.
While the above described methods of browsing have some merit, there still exists a need for an efficient, flexible and user-friendly method for navigating a large number of services offered by television system, wherein the updates are completed automatically, and the user interface is intuitive and user driven.
The present invention provides for a terminal that facilitates efficient, flexible and user-friendly navigation of a plurality of services provided by an associated television network. The terminal may be embodied in a home communication terminal (HCT) or other suitable device externally connected to a television or monitor, or as an integral component of a television or a computer. The terminal receives user input identifying a user-selected ordering scheme for the services provided by the associated television system. The terminal either generates a display table or utilizes a previously generated display table, which in either case maps (i.e., orders) the services as defined by a service table according to the selected ordering scheme for browsing by the subscriber. The ordering scheme is based upon at least one service attribute of the service information, such as the short description, long description, or service application associated with each service. For example, a broadcast video service from The Weather Channel, Inc. would use a xe2x80x9cwatch TVxe2x80x9d application, have a short description ofxe2x80x9cTWCxe2x80x9d, have a long description of xe2x80x9cThe Weather Channel.xe2x80x9d It would then have programs for each of the shows that are broadcast throughout a day.
The present invention enables the user to select an ordering scheme of services for browsing as opposed to the system operator defining the ordering scheme. This provides for service navigation in a manner that is not only familiar to the subscriber, but more powerful and extensible than mere channel number navigation. In particular, the subscriber may select from two or more predefined ordering schemes that will enable the user to individually select a preferred scheme for navigating the available services.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a terminal for providing services to a user in a user-selected order, wherein each service is defined by service attributes, comprises a memory that stores a service table that relates service attributes (including the application providing the service) to each service, and a processor that receives a user inputted command identifying an ordering scheme for displaying the program services. In response to the user inputted command, the processor displays a listing of services based on a display table that maps the services of the service table according to the identified ordering scheme, wherein the ordering scheme is based on at least one service attribute. The terminal may further comprise a communication port that connects the terminal to a communications network distribution node, wherein the communication port receives an updated service table from the distribution node and stores the updated service table in the memory. The terminal may further include a search engine that searches one or more service attributes based on a user inputted search query, and generates therefrom a display table that maps the services that match the search query for displaying the search results to the user via a user interface. The service attributes upon which the ordering scheme may be based may include a long description, short description, and a service application that provides for each service.
The terminal may further comprise a user interface for displaying services according to the display table. A display device may be utilized to display the user interface based on the display table. The user interface may include a browser banner having a service listing portion at which at least one selectable service and its current program is displayed to the user. The service listing portion may include a pop-up list of services ordered according to an ordering scheme. A user input device such as a remote control or wireless keyboard may be utilized to receive user inputted commands for the processor.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a navigator for allowing a user to access services in a user selected ordering scheme via a display, wherein each service is defined by its service description, comprises a navigator controller and a user interface. The navigator controller receives user inputted commands identifying an ordering scheme, and in response thereto displays a listing of services based on the display table mapping the services according to the identified ordering scheme. The ordering scheme may be based on at least one search attribute associated with each service. The navigator control may further comprise a search engine that searches the services based on a user inputted search query, and generates therefrom a display table that maps the services which match the search query for displaying the results to the user via the user interface.
The ordering scheme may also be specified at the network headend as a list of services and display formatting information (in a format such as the HyperText Markup Language (HTML)) that directs the navigator controller as to how the user interface is presented to the user. Based on the display formatting information, the subscriber can choose from the list of services using commands inputted from a device such as a remote control. The display formatting information may include images and audio that are downloaded to the terminal on-demand from the network. This particular ordering scheme may be selected by a dedicated button on a user input device such as a remote control. A further selection by the user may activate a list of programs available for a particular service.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for dynamically ordering a plurality of services for display on a display device, wherein each service is defined by service attributes related to the service by a service table, comprises receiving a user input command identifying an ordering scheme for displaying the services, wherein the ordering scheme is based on at least one service attribute, and in response to the command, displaying a service listing to the user via the display device. The service listing displayed to the user may include the services ordered according to a display table that orders these services according to the selected ordering scheme. The step of generating the display table may include ordering the services according to a service description alphabetically, or according to a service application. The method may further include receiving an updated service table and re-ordering the display table based on the new service information.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.